Vegetarian Food Allergies?

So i've known for most of my life I am allergic to certain fruits and vegetables. Bananas, watermelon, kiwi, cantaloupe, radishes, avocado, pecans, and probably a couple more I cant think of right now. My symptoms include itchy throat, deep ear itching, itchy bumps on the inside of my mouth. In the worst cases shortness of breath, coughing, and swelling of the throat. Sometimes the reactions are worse than others. I will admit there are times I risk a reaction in order to enjoy one of these foods. I am mostly vegetarian and I love bananas! I've figured out that if the fruit is on the ripe side, I don't have near as bad of a reaction.Yesterday was one of those times I took a walk on the wild side and took a bite of watermelon I was cutting for my son. It looked so juicy and refreshing! It almost sent me to the hospital with anaphylactic symptoms I then did some digging and found that allergy to a lot of these same foods together happens to other people besides me!! All of my life I never knew this!! I guess my question is does anyone else here also deal with this type of allergy? and if so what are your experiences with it? Blessings!
updated by @amy-lee2: 03/24/15 03:32:31PM

thanks for the sympathy heather lol. i actually do eat bananas at times but they have to be really ripe. as far as avacado im scared to even touch it anymore! ive had luck with commercially prepared guacamole but if its made with very fresh avocado im miserable!! the watermelon thing really scared me because ive never had such a bad reaction with it. im thinking it wasnt at its ripest and thats what did it

My sister can't eat any fruits or veggies unless they were processed and canned we thought she was faking until her doctor said a lot of people are allergic to the pesticides or something like that they spray on the food during the growing process and the chemicals get soaked into the fruit/veggie. She can eat farmers market organic fruits and veggies just fine. Have you tried different sources of the foods?

I am sorry your allergic to so many things you like to eat! I have a friend who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and pears.... it's a pain finding things to bake for her. heh. What have doctors told you? I don't know if it would be, but has anyone mentioned a dose of Benadryl before eating one of those fruits/veggies as an option?

brittany is she allergic to all fruits and vegetables or only certain ones? im wondering what the connection is between all of these foods. oh and i did forget to mention that my partner is allergic to most of the same foods, give or take a couple. but it doesnt surprise me because we are both libra and share a birthday so we are kinda kindred souls

Brittany Rassat said:

Me personally am not allergic to fruits or vegetables but my best friend is, and I'm a vegetarian and make tons of awesome dishes and fruit salads and she always eats my food and suffers the consequences she gets an itchy throat and gets really flush in the face I don't know if her symptoms ever get much worse then that but I know it makes her miserable!

food pollen allergy is a term i came across while researching it. ive never really talked to a doctor about it. as far as benadryl, we are great friends. but only after the fact when my throat is threatening to close do i start swigging from the bottle. ive mostly learned to avoid the ones that affect me the most. but my mom is swearing i need an eppi-pen (?). @Makyea im not sure i have. but thats an idea! thanks!

Sara M~ )O( said:

Amy it looks like there's a food pollen allergy. Unless I'm totally wrong? You know better than I do lol. Here's a link I found from the Mayo Clinic:

I am sorry your allergic to so many things you like to eat! I have a friend who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and pears.... it's a pain finding things to bake for her. heh. What have doctors told you? I don't know if it would be, but has anyone mentioned a dose of Benadryl before eating one of those fruits/veggies as an option?

Ephedrine pen... it's a needle pen you stick into your body, usually your leg, that triggers adrenaline to fight the allergic reaction. [I'm not sure if the (?) is bc you don't know what it is or how to spell it... please don't take the wrong way haha] So Benadryl won't work beforehand?

Even better, maybe you could try what others have suggested and check out locally-grown and organic foods. It very well could be that they won't contain pollens you're allergic to [if indeed it is the pollen], or there could be a pesticide problem. Mostly I've heard of this happening with food pollen allergies.

Amy Lee said:

food pollen allergy is a term i came across while researching it. ive never really talked to a doctor about it. as far as benadryl, we are great friends. but only after the fact when my throat is threatening to close do i start swigging from the bottle. ive mostly learned to avoid the ones that affect me the most. but my mom is swearing i need an eppi-pen (?). @Makyea im not sure i have. but thats an idea! thanks!

Sara M~ )O( said:

Amy it looks like there's a food pollen allergy. Unless I'm totally wrong? You know better than I do lol. Here's a link I found from the Mayo Clinic:

I am sorry your allergic to so many things you like to eat! I have a friend who is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, and pears.... it's a pain finding things to bake for her. heh. What have doctors told you? I don't know if it would be, but has anyone mentioned a dose of Benadryl before eating one of those fruits/veggies as an option?

If I were you I'd keep at least one Epi Pen around while testing different foods. They can save your life. I have one whenever I am out in my garden(We think I have a bee allergy) Anyway good luck, update what works for you:]